"The Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Cynthia Bailey will be the keynote speaker for Huntsville's Harris Home for Children Holiday Gala on Dec. 6.

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama --"The Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Cynthia Bailey is
lying on her bed, and working on the latest installment of her Bravo network
blog when she picks up the phone. The clock just hit noon.

On Nov. 4, 3.2 million viewers tuned in for the season five
premiere of "Housewives," setting a ratings record - not only for the reality
TV show but for the Bravo Network itself. I ask Bailey why she feels that
zenith happened five seasons in. After all, viewer interest in a show can often
wane over time.

"I feel like 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta' is special
because the group... all of our stories are interesting and we all have very
different stories," Bailey says. "I think we bring the drama, but we don't
bring physical fighting. And I think people like that we bring the business
side. All of my castmates, we all have businesses going. And for 'Atlanta,' we
have the largest group of African American women on the show, and I think that
sets us apart as well."

Bailey - who first made her name as a fashion model
appearing in Vogue, Glamour, Elle, Essence and Vanity Fair - will be the
keynote speaker at Harris Home for Children Holiday Gala on Dec. 6. Founded in
1954, Harris Home for Children is a non-profit agency that provides a wide
array of programs and services for the abused, neglected, and abandoned youth
between the ages of 12 and 21.

A Tuscumbia native, Bailey was professional, sweet and pretty damn un-diva-like when she answered the following interview questions:

Cynthia, why does the Harris Home for Children cause
resonate with you?

Anything having to do with children touches my heart. I have
a 12-year-old daughter, and I can't imagine my child being in a situation like
that, so again, when it comes to kids I want to give my support to any cause
regarding children because they're innocent and they don't ask to be put in
situations. And when they are in a bad or unfortunate situation, people need to
help them.

Can you give us any hints about any major developments that
will go down later in season five of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta"? On the
finale of the third season, you got married.

I can't really give you a whole lot, But I think one of the
interesting things about this season is there's some new blood on the show. And
that has changed the dynamic of the cast a lot. I think in the past, you got to
know a lot of the veterans over the years, so some of the stories were a little
predictable.

Now that they've thrown a couple other people in the pot, I
think you're going to see this season take some unexpected turns that are kind
of new for the show. Definitely, working on the show this season, there were
times I didn't know what direction things were going - so I know you guys
didn't know what to expect. (Laughs.)

Which of your current castmates do you hang out the most
with away from the show?

Oh, that's easy. Nene Leakes. We're friends on and off the
show.

As a model, you've worked with the renowned photographer Annie
Leibovitz, who shot you, Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell, Beverly Johnson and Iman
for Vanity Fair. What makes Leibovitz's work so great?

She's so good at telling a story in a photograph. She has a
way of making subjects she shoots look amazing, as well as bringing out their
character. I really feel with her, it's more than just a pretty picture. You
really feel like you're looking at the essence of that person. That shoot was
basically a group of some of the most important African American models in the
fashion industry at that time, and I felt so honored and validated to be a part
of that group.

You had a 1990 guest arc on the NBC hit "Cosby Show" playing
Sheniquah Watkins. What's your most vivid memory of working with Bill Cosby?

The thing I remember most about Mr. Cosby was how kind and
supportive he was. My part was very small on the show, but I remember working
with Malcolm (Jamal Warner) and Lisa Bonet and all the stars of the show, and
he treated me the same way he treated all of them. I was in awe of all of them.

As an Alabama native and a Georgia resident, who will you pull
for in Saturday's SEC Championship Game between the University of Alabama and
University of Georgia?

My heart is always in Alabama; however I am quite the
Georgia girl. I'm actually OK with whoever wins that one. I kind of root for
them both.

One of your latest blogs on the Bravo website begins with a Jay-Z
quote. What artists do you listen to the most?

I'm a big fan of R. Kelly, and I also like Mary J. Blige and
Usher. And John Legend, and, of course, Beyonce. I like a lot of the old-school
stuff, like The Temptations. Bill Withers. I like Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke.
Country, I love Patsy...Patsy...

Patsy Cline?

Yes! And Etta James, she's one of my favorites as well.
Hip-hop? I like Jay-Z, Kanye West, Eminem. Dr. Dre. And Lil' Wayne.

What's something you try to pass on to students at your Bailey
Agency School of Fashion that you had to learn through experience?

It's really the educational component that's important for
me to teach these kids. They want to get into the business, but they couldn't
name you three top photographers, or what percentage an agency would take from
their income if they got signed to an agency. I thought there was a real
disconnect. Just being a pretty face or handsome guy is not enough because the
fashion industry is a business. I supported myself for 30 years until I became
a housewife – that was my only job.

Will you be back for season six of "The Real Housewives of
Atlanta"?

Yeah, I hope so. "The Housewives" platform is amazing, and
I've had so many opportunities come to me as a result of this platform and I
think I've done a lot with it. And I would love to come back for season six.